Bay Ridge Tapas

My friend and neighbor Kelli (it's her birthday today--Happy Birthday, Kel!) introduced me to this narrow little spot in our area. Vela tapas is on 3rd avenue near 83rd street, a very quick walk for us.

The signature drink, the rainbow mojito, is a delicious start. 7 kinds of fruit mashed together in a light and sweet, slightly bubbly. Yum. At 8 dollars, it's alwso much cheaper than most mojitos around town!

They have a lovely outdoor seating area, and they actually went out of their way to bring an extra two-top outside so we could sit there.

We started with something we really liked last time--the fried goat cheese with caramelized onions. This was good, but not as hot and melty as I was hoping. Maybe we were too busy talking and let it cool off too soon.

A must-have in any tapas joint: patatas bravas--these are usually pan fried potatoes with a spicy kick. Some places douse them in tabasco, which I heart. This place has a spicy paprika aioli for dunking. So. Good.

We also ordered the cheese plate, which was fine. Not amazing, but fine. The Valdeon, a blue cheese, is one of my favorites. I couldn't get enough of this. They also had Manchego, which is also a staple, "Drunken Goat," which is goat cheese with a red wine-soaked rind, and a last cheese I can't remember! They took away the menu before I had a chance to jot it down in my notes. This is one of my complaints when it comes to cheese plates--just remind people what the cheeses are. Unless I work for Murray's, chances are I don't know which is which of the three yellow ones!

We ordered the meatballs, too, which were DEE.LISH.US. I have to say the seasonings tasted more like Italian than Spanish to me, but that is not a problem. The sauce was super yummy, too. One plate was more than enough for two people.

We had really good service, with our waiter checking in on us frequently, but we never felt rushed. This was my second visit to Vela and Kelli's third or fourth--and you can bet we'll be back for more. If you're in the area and looking for delicious and affordable food coupled with great service, stop by Vela!

Vela Tapas
8305 3rd Ave
(between 83rd St & 84th St)
Brooklyn, NY 11209